National Communal Harmony Award 2012

The Foundation for Amity & National Solidarity, Delhi has been selected for the National Communal Harmony Award for the year 2012 by the Jury headed by the Vice-President of India.

Formed in 1984, the Foundation for Amity & National Solidarity (FANS) is a Delhi based Trust which works for spreading amity and communal harmony. It has organized numerous seminars, workshops, symposiums, inter-religious meets, youth camps, sadbhavana sabhas and rallies to promote social amity. The Foundation has instituted 'National Amity Award', which is given every year to an eminent personality. A serial 'Yeh Gulistan Hamara' produced by the Foundation on national integration was telecast on Doordarshan. It has awarded numerous scholarships under its Amity Scholarship Scheme to promote education amongst the economically backward students. It has extensively contributed for promoting solidarity and communal harmony. 

The National Communal Harmony Awards were instituted in 1996 by the National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH), an autonomous organization set up by the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, for promoting communal harmony and national integration. The ward has been instituted with a view to demonstrating due appreciation and recognition of the efforts of individuals and organisations for promotion of communal harmony and national integration in a sustained manner over a sufficiently long period of time. In addition to a citation, the award carries a cash prize of Rupees five lakh for the Organisation. 

63 Presidential Awards for IAF this Year

63 IAF Air Warriors have been decorated with Presidential Awards on the eve of Republic Day, this year. This includes Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM) for six Air Marshals, Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM) for one Air Marshal, five Air Vice Marshal and six Air Commodores. 

PVSM has been conferred on Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd), Air Marshal Simha Kutty Varthaman (Retd), Air Marshal Satish Pal Singh (Retd), Air Marshal Arup Raha, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command, Air Marshal Rajinder Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command, Air Marshal Jagdish Chandra Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Maintenance Command respectively. 

Air Marshal Herikudru Babu Rajaram, Director General (Works and Ceremonials) has been conferred the Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM). 

This year, the Vayu Sena Medal (VM) for Gallantry have been awarded to Wing Commander Gurkirat Singh Sohal, Wing Commander Chickmandya Girish Deepak and Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Chopra. While two Air Commodores, seven Group Captains, five Wing Commanders have also been conferred Vayu Sena Medal for devotion to duty. 

The Vishist Seva Medal (VSM) have been awarded to five Air Commodores, twenty Group Captains and three Wing Commanders. 

Major Abup J Manjali Selected For Second- Highest Peacetime Gallantry Award Kirti Chakra

Major Abup J Manjali of the Rashtriya Rifles was selected for the award of Kirti Chakra for his extraordinary bravery efforts in counter- terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. Major Manjali will be awarded on 26 January 2013.
 
Major Manjali is the only soldier to receive this second- highest peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra on the Republic Day. Apart from him, eight other jawans as well as officers were selected to be awarded with the Shaurya Chakra.

Major Abup J Manjali belongs to the Bihar Regiment and at present is deputed to Rashtriya Rifles. It is important to note that the Kirti Chakra can be given away to military personnel as well as the civilians. This award is the peacetime gallantry award which is equivalent to Mahavir Chakra. 

Shaurya Chakra, on the other hand, is being given away to Major Sandeep Kumar of 13 Sikh Regiment for his bravery act in Northeast area. Apart from him, Navy officer will also receive Shaurya Chakra for saving lives in Mumbai fire incident.

Vulture Population Estimation-2013 Conducted in Panna Tiger Reserve

Vulture Population Estimation-2013 was conducted in Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh by the State Government. The Vulture Population Estimation-2013 started from 16 January 2013. It was found that there are 867 vultures in the Panna Tiger Reserve which include 160 migratory birds as well as 48 unidentified birds. The Technical report of Vulture Population Estimation-2013 would be submitted by February end 2013. Around 102 live nests were present in this tiger reserve. 

Yet another survey would be conducted in April-May 2013 in order to find out the success of vulture breeding in Panna Tiger Reserve. The Vulture Population Estimation is undertaken every year in January in the Panna Tiger Reserve since 2010. The population of vultures was less in comparison to the 2012 population and the reason for their decreasing number is rise in temperatures in this area. 

What was found in the Vulture Population Estimation-2013

•The Regional Director Panna Tiger Reserve informed that 659 residential vultures were present in the Panna Tiger Reserve during this Vulture Population Estimation-2013.
•Out of the 659 residential vultures, 476 were the Long Billed Vultures, 86 were the White Backed Vultures, 52 were the Egyptian Vultures and 45 were the Red-headed Vultures.
•There were 160 migratory vultures in the Reserve. Out of these, 41 were the European Griffon, 115 were the Himalayan Griffon and 4 were the vultures of cinereous species.
 
Reasons for decline in vulture population

Over the past few years, there has been a sudden decline in the vulture population. Post mortem as well as the diagnostic tests of the vultures revealed that there was a decrease in their population because of consumption of veterinary drug Diclofenac. 
Diclofenac was consumed by the vultures who fed on the carcasses of livestock. Diclofenac led to deposition of uric acid in the visceral organs of vultures which caused their sudden death.

DIARY OF EVENTS 2012

   

Space Missions

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has submitted a plan for 58 space missions to be undertaken as a part of 12th Five Year Plan, 2012-17.

A Plan outlay of Rs. 39,750 crore in 12^th Five Year Plan period has been provisionally earmarked under the Plan budget for Space Programme.  During the current year 2012-13, a sum of Rs. 5,615 crore has been allocated and the amount spent up to End October, 2012 is Rs.1,871.53 crore.

The Missions planned for 12^th Five Year plan also encompasses 33 Satellite missions and 25 Launch Vehicles missions.  The details and the objectives of each mission are as under:

Sl No	Mission		Objective
SATELLITE MISSIONS
1	SARAL	Satellite with Argos and Altimeter for Oceanography studies.
2	CARTOSAT-2C	High resolution Cartography satellite for mapping applications for special users.
3	CARTOSAT-2D
4	RESOURCESAT-2A	Satellite for Natural Resource Survey applications.
5	OCEANSAT-3	Satellite for Ocean and Coastal studies.
6	CARTOSAT-3	Advanced very high resolution cartography satellite.
7	GISAT	Geo Imaging Satellite for monitoring and Disaster Management applications.
8	GSAT-9	Communication satellite to augment the INSAT system with C band Transponders
9	GSAT-10	Communication satellites to augment the INSAT system with C and Ku band Transponders
10	GSAT-15
11	GSAT-16
12	GSAT-17
13	GSAT-18
14	GSAT-14	Experimental Communication Satellites
15	GSAT-11S
16	GSAT-6	Multi-media Mobile communication satellites for strategic applications.
17	GSAT-6A
18	GSAT-7	Communication satellite for special users.
19	GSAT-Ka	Advanced Ka band satellite for VSAT communications.
20	GSAT-11
21	GSAT-19E	New generation experimental communication satellite.
22	INSAT-3D	Advanced Meteorological Satellite
23	IRNSS-1	Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) for satellite based positioning services – The constellation consists of Seven IRNSS satellites.
24	IRNSS-2
25	IRNSS-3
26	IRNSS-4
27	IRNSS-5
28	IRNSS-6
29	IRNSS-7
30	ASTROSAT	Multi-wavelength Space Astronomy Observatory for scientific investigations.
Sl No	Mission	Objective
31	MARS ORBITER	Technological mission to reach Martian orbit and studying the surface and atmospheric features of Mars.
32	CHANDRAYAAN-2	Scientific investigations of Lunar surface with in-situ measurements.
33	ADITYA	Scientific Satellite for study of Sun and Solar Corona phenomena.
LAUNCH VEHICLE MISSIONS
34	PSLV – C20	Launching of SARAL Satellite into Polar Orbit.
35	PSLV – C 21	Launching of French satellite SPOT-6 on commercial basis.
36	PSLV – C22	For launching of IRNSS-1 satellite.
37	PSLV – C23	For launching of IRNSS-2 satellite
38	PSLV – C24	For launching of IRNSS-3 satellite
39	PSLV – C25	For launching of MARS orbiter.
40	PSLV – C26	For launching of Astrosat into near earth orbit.
41	PSLV – C27	For launching of Cartosat-2C into Polar orbit.
42	PSLV – C28	For launching of IRNSS-4 satellite.
43	PSLV – C29	For launching of IRNSS-5 satellite.
44	PSLV – C30	For launching of IRNSS-6 satellite.
45	PSLV – C31	For launching of Resourcesat-2A into polar orbit.
46	PSLV – C32	For launching of Cartosat-2D in to polar orbit.
47	PSLV – C33	Commercial Launch Service
48	PSLV – C34	For launching of IRNSS-7 satellite.
49	PSLV – C35	For launching of Oceansat-3 satellite into polar orbit.
50	PSLV- C36	For launching of Cartosat-3 satellite into Polar orbit.
51	GSLV – D5	Development flight with indigenous cryogenic stage for launching GSAT-14satellite.
52	GSLV – D6	For launching of GSAT-6 into Geosynchronous transfer orbit.
53	GSLV – F8	For launching of Chandrayaan-2
54	GSLV – F09	For launching of GSAT-9 communication satellite.
55	GSLV – F10	For launching of GISAT satellite into Geosynchronous transfer orbit.
56	GSLV – F11	For launching of GSAT-6A satellite.
57	GSLV - Mk III-X1	Experimental test flight.
58	GSLV – Mk III D1	First developmental flight of GSLV Mk III  for launching GSAT-19E satellite

Justice Verma Committee report on reform in anti-rape laws

The Justice J S Verma committee which was set up to suggest ways to make rape laws stronger in the country (after the gruesome gang rape of a trainee physiotherapist in Delhi last month), submitted its report. Highlights of the report are: a) New offences have been created and stiffer punishment has been suggested. The new offences include disrobing a woman, voyeurism, stalking and trafficking. b) It has recommended enhancing the duration of punishment to up to 20 years in jail for rape leading to death or the victim being reduced to a vegetative state and life for gang rape. In case of gang rape leading to death, the person should be imprisoned for life. The present law provides for imprisonment to rapists ranging from seven years to life. c) The panel sought amendments to Section 100 of the Indian Penal Code dealing with the right of private defence, which extends to causing death. d) The committee rejected the suggestion of chemical castration of rapists as it considered handing down such a punishment would violate human rights and that mutilation of the body is not permitted under the Constitution. e) The committee has also touched upon marital rape and safety of women in conflict zones suggesting a review of the Armed Forces Special Protection Act (AFSPA) that can be used by the forces for exploiting women in areas of conflict. f) According to the report the judiciary has the primary responsibility of ensuring fundamental rights through constitutional remedies. The CJI can take suo motu cognizance; social activists should assist the court. The Chief Justice of the high court of every state should device appropriate machinery for administration and supervision of these juvenile homes in consultation with experts in the field. g) All marriages in the country -- irrespective of the personal laws under which such marriages are solemnised -- should mandatorily be registered in the presence of a magistrate and the magistrate will ensure that the marriage has been solemnised without any demand for dowry having been made and that the marriage has taken place with the full and free consent of both partners. h) Medical examination of victims of sexual assault which were prepared on the basis of the best practices advised by global experts in the field of gynaecology and psychology. i) Trafficking of minor children must be made a serious offence. Trafficking must be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years, but which may also extend to 10 years. j) There is also a suggestion to bar elected representatives from holding office or for candidates to file nomination for election if a court has taken cognizance of the charge-sheet filed by the investigating agency.